Last Stop: Pyongyang

Reconnections

The Chos were deeply shocked and extremely angry. They felt terribly sorry for what had happened to Monika. All of them would have loved to visit her, but since her release from the hospital she had literally self-isolated and refused to see anyone.

Sang-wan and Min-ju watched with gritted teeth as Tak closed himself off again. He dragged himself through the day grumpily and with a tense expression on his face. After Monika no longer wanted to see him, he had lost his joy in life. And he had lost all hope that she would ever be the same again.

Yu-ja was also at a loss. Monika refused to see her, too. What should she do? While they were taking a walk together, she asked Daniel for advice, but he had no solution.

Daniel held Yu-ja's hand as they walked along a small river. Only after thorough consideration did he answer. "The human soul is very complex. Bad experiences often resurface, sometimes after many years have passed. Perhaps it's a good sign that this is happening to Monika now. The faster she can process everything, the better."

Yu-ja nodded, even though that didn't help her brother. She knew full well that Tak would wave her off in annoyance and go on his way.

She looked thoughtfully at the blue-green water that was flowing at high speed. There had to be some solution!

***

Meanwhile, a real storm broke out in the Chos' house.

"Do something!" an angry Tak shouted at his helpless parents. "Frederik doesn't belong in prison, he belongs in a detention camp! You're spies! Get rid of that pig, dammit!" His angry face turned a deep red.

"Tak!" The horrified Min-ju wanted to hug her son. She understood his rage full well... But Tak could not be calmed down. He tore himself away and stormed out of the room angrily. Immediately afterwards, Sang-wan and Min-ju heard the front door slam shut.

Min-ju looked after Tak worriedly. She had never seen her son so upset. His outburst showed that he was at the end of his tether.

How was this supposed to continue? Until recently, Min-ju could not have imagined that things would be taking such a terrible turn. For the first time in her life, she felt a deep sense of hopelessness.

Sang-wan was also worried. He did not want North Korea's arbitrary rule back, but Germany was a total failure at punishing criminals!

Now, there was no more waiting! Sang-wan would take matters into his own hands.

He could understand Tak's anger very well. Monika had basically identified Frederik, but the police just let him go? His father had probably bribed a few people. He’s capable of anything, thought Sang-wan with a grim expression on his face.

In North Korea, he was taught to never surrender to the enemy. There had to be a way to neutralize this enemy - Frederik. Even if Sang-wan had to activate all available resources. Even if that put him in danger.

Sang-wan's thoughts were racing. Tak's words rang in his ears - he doesn't belong in prison, he belongs in a detention camp. Sang-wan agreed with his son completely.

In his homeland, a multiple murderer wouldn't get away with a few years of youth prison sentence. Sang-wan almost spat when he thought of the ridiculously comfortable prisons in the West.

It was high time that Frederik’s actions had consequences. If everything went well, he would receive a punishment that went far beyond his imagination.

Sang-wan rummaged through the box with his old equipment that he had just taken out of the safe. In order not to arouse any suspicion, he had dismantled all of his spy equipment in North Korea and brought it to Europe in small pieces. Now, it was high time to reassemble some of it.

He removed a few small components from his old cell phone for special cases, which he skilfully opened. The memories caught up with him. Back in South Korea, he had used this cell phone to call Won. He had gambled high and won his freedom. It wasn't such a bad deal for the NIS, he told himself. Thanks to me, they caught two dangerous spies. Sang-wan screwed the cover back on. Done!

Now he had to summon the same courage as before. Sang-wan resolutely pushed aside all emerging concerns, fearing that he might change his mind if he delayed the issue.

This cell phone reliably suppressed his number, which was essential for Sang-wan's purposes. He quickly glanced at his large digital wall clock, which displayed five different time zones. For the first time in more than ten years, he dialled the number he could never forget. He called his brother-in-law in Pyongyang.

"Sin Jun-hui. Long time no hear," said Sang-wan with a hint of joy when Min-ju's / Jae-hui's brother answered the phone.

Jun-hui remained silent at first. "Park Hyeong-su?" he asked hesitantly after a while. Sang-wan, who had not been called thus for a long time, started to answer, but Jun-hui interrupted him harshly. "Next week, same time. Call me on this number." He gave his brother-in-law a Chinese cell phone number.

"What..." Sang-wan didn't get any further. Jun-hui had simply hung up.

Sang-wan was now shaking with excitement. He felt his palms get sweaty. Had the call been a mistake? Would Jun-hui report that he was still alive? Were his foster parents in danger because of him?

He couldn't stop his thoughts from going on a rollercoaster ride. His first contact with the North Korean authorities in more than a decade left him extremely agitated. In vain, he tried to calm his agitated nerves.

To avert his suddenly emerging panic, he thought of Jun-hui's place of work - a dingy gray building complex in the center of Pyongyang, which Sang-wan had last entered shortly before his departure to South Korea. Was his brother-in-law still working in this dreary office?

A knock on the window startled Sang-wan so much that he almost swept his cell phone off his desk. His blood pressure immediately returned to normal when he realized that it was just the neighbor's cat who was snuggling up to the window. Her green eyes and tabby fur, but above all her cuddly nature, had often secured her treats from Min-ju and the children.

Sang-wan slowly got up from his swivel chair and went upstairs to tell his wife. He was dying to hear her opinion. He found her in the living room, where she was sticking photos into an album. She turned to him questioningly.

As expected, Min-ju was outraged that Sang-wan hadn't told her about the call. "I can't believe it! This affects all of us. You called my brother behind my back!" she accused him. Min-ju, who was visibly upset, had to calm down first. Hadn't she proven sufficiently that she deserved to be trusted?

She thoroughly questioned her husband in detail about the call’s contents, which were limited due to its short duration. But Min-ju was not satisfied. Sang-wan grudgingly came clean - he wanted to know about his biological family. And explore ways to permanently prevent Frederik from committing any further crimes.

Min-ju understood Sang-wan only too well. Family was the most important thing. She was enormously relieved that her brother was safe and sound.

But what she liked best was what Sang-wan had planned for Frederik.

In the end, the Chos agreed that they would not let Tak and Yu-ja in on their plans for the time being.

***

The following week, at the same time of day, Sang-wan called his brother in law‘s cell phone. Since the number indicated a Chinese provider, Jun-hui had to be on the border to China - not in Pyongyang. In the country’s interior, he could not have used the Chinese cell phone network. This was only possible within a small area on the Northern border, in the regions close to the Yalu.

Min-ju, who was unwilling to tolerate any more solo efforts, insisted on being present for the call, so the two of them were now sitting in the basement office. She shot Sang-Wan a meaningful glance and pressed the speaker button.

The phone rang several times before someone answered. "You owe me an explanation," Jun-hui began without further ado. His tone was gruff and dismissive.

Min-ju did not let her husband get a word in edgewise. She was bubbling over with euphoria. "Jun-hui! It's me, your little sister! How are you? Is everything fine?"

Jun-hui's voice softened. "I missed you," he told her. "What about the children?"

"Everything's fine, fine," Min-ju assured him. "Tak-yuen got into med school last year, and Yu-ja is in high school," she reported proudly. She ignored Sang-wan's alarmed expression best she could and shooed him away with a forceful wave of her hand.

"It's so good to hear from you! How are Mo-yeon and the children doing?" Min-ju had also missed Jun-hui's wife and kids terribly.

"Excellent! Soon-mi is studying engineering, and Seok got engaged in spring! To Seo-in from the Ro family - you know her. The wedding will take place in October. Mo-yeon is very excited, especially because Seo-in's parents got killed in a car accident, and she is now on her own with her younger brother. Mo-yeon feels responsible for helping her with the wedding.”

“That’s wonderful news! But I’m very sorry about Seo-in’s parents.” Min-ju, who had known the Ro family for a long time, had tears in her eyes.

Sang-wan could only listen with his mouth open. With Jun-hui’s sudden talkativeness, he got to know a completely different side of his brother-in-law. Normally, he was rather short-spoken… but maybe he had always been like that with his younger sister? Sang-wan took a mental note to ask Min-ju about it later.

Jun-hui’s tone became serious again. “You owe me an explanation.”

Min-ju handed Sang-wan the phone and motioned for him to take care of it. He gave her an annoyed look, but she was persistent. Sighing, he took the phone from her. He spoke in a halting voice. "Well, we... we left South Korea."

"Oh really," Jun-hui replied ironically. "Great you’re telling me, because I would never have guessed so!" Without waiting for Sang-wan's answer, he continued indignantly. "Damn it, why didn't you say a word? For eleven years? You took your time!" he cursed angrily.

"We're sorry," Min-ju exclaimed. "We were terribly afraid. Not just because of us. We could have put you in danger, too!"

"I thought you were dead," Jun-hui said tonelessly. "Last week, I was terribly frightened when the call came. I had to collect myself first." He cleared his throat. “And you must never call me in Pyongyang again! It’s far too dangerous.”

“Has that much changed?” Min-ju asked expectantly. She was dying for news from her old home. “A lot. Except the power outages and the weather,” Jun-hui replied dryly.

The Chos immediately understood what he was referring to. Wealthier households in North Korea usually had their own generators to compensate for the unreliable power supply, which was prone to breakdowns. And when temperatures rose, it was scorching hot. Forty degrees were not uncommon in summer.